We want you to be as excited as we are that the Little League season is approaching!

Beginning six weeks before Opening Day, we'll add information here about upcoming events plus reminders and information you need to be ready.

Don't forget to watch your email as well.  Be sure messages from [email protected] do not end up in your junk mail folder.

It's getting closer! Final preparations are underway.

Opening Day

Our first games will be in two weeks on April 25th!! The full schedule will be posted on the website soon, and next week’s update will include all the details you need. Opening Day will kick off with our annual parade at 9:00 AM, with lineup beginning at 8:30 AM at Community Presbyterian Church (811 Gorham Ln, Kalamazoo). Opening ceremonies will follow at 9:30 AM, with warm-ups starting at 10:00 AM and the first games beginning at 10:30 AM.

Cancellations

We do wait as long as possible to cancel practices and games so we can get as much time on the fields as possible. We try to get any notices out 90 minutes before the start of any game or practice. Always assume events are ON until you receive a cancellation notice; please do not send a message to ask. We will begin sending text announcements soon and will use those instead of emails once the season starts, so please follow the instructions below to opt in.

Text Alerts

If you are registered in Sports Connect for this season, you should have received an email about opting in for text alerts. To do so, text Spring2026tshq21404 to 334-310-2497 and you should receive a confirmation text back. If you did not get the initial email, please let us know. You must be registered in Sports Connect for us to be able to send texts.

Team Photos

Photos will be taken May 18-20 and we will be partnering with The Dash - Sports Photography this year. The schedule and your team's scheduled time will be communicated to the Team Parents and we will be sharing more information soon!

Medical Release Form

Please be sure you have completed a Little League Medical Release Form and given it to your coach. They keep these on hand throughout the season in case of an injury during a practice or game when a parent is not present.

Team Parents

Your team should have a team parent to help the coach with some of the "administrative" duties like team photos, team snacks, and organizing concessions duty. If your team does not have one, consider signing up. You can volunteer through your account in the registration system. There will be a team parent meeting on April 15th to help equip you for the season.

Meet and Greet

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Meet and Greet. It was exciting to see so many people who are eager to start the season! And thank you to King-Westwood School for hosting us again this year.

Food Drive

All local leagues will be competing to see who brings in the most donations for Opening Day. Bring your canned or other non-perishable items on Opening Day or bring them to a practice and leave them in the marked collection areas starting next week. Let's help STRIKE OUT hunger! 

The energy is building and it's almost time to get out on the fields!

Meet and Greet

Our annual gathering for you to meet your coach and teammates is Monday April 6, starting at 6PM. It will be in the gym at King-Westwood School on Nichols Road. We hope to see you there! We will have the swap table set up, which is always busy. Bring baseball/softball items in good condition that you no longer need so that another league member can use them or look for something you need for your player.

Schedules

Be sure you know when your team is practicing! Practices will run from April 7–23. You can find the schedule on the website under the Schedules page in the Divisions & Schedules tab. Game schedules are still being finalized. For divisions that include interleague play, we are waiting on another league’s schedule coordinator to complete their portion before everything can be reviewed and shared.

Equipment

Be sure you have everything you need for practices. Coaches will provide helmets, bats, and balls, but players should bring their own glove. Players are also welcome to bring their own helmet or bat if they prefer.

All Stars

Keep in mind that the All Star tournaments will be held after the regular season ends, from late June into July. More details will be sent in May and you can check out our All Stars page for what we know now.

Fall Ball

Remember Fall Ball will start shortly after the All Star season ends.  We are running our own Fall Ball program this year and will have the details posted soon.  

It’s almost time to start practices, so here’s everything you need to know as we get closer to the season!

Meet and Greet

Our Meet and Greet is scheduled for 6:00 PM on Monday, April 6 at King-Westwood Elementary School. Players can meet their coaches and teammates, and families can make any outstanding payments and complete volunteer applications. We hope to see you there!

Practice Schedule

The practice schedule will be posted this week on the Schedules page. Practices are set to begin Tuesday, April 7.

Coach Contact

Rosters have been finalized and are being sent out, so you should be hearing from your coach very soon.

League Apparel

We’ve partnered with Complete Team Outfitters to offer Westwood Little League apparel so you can show your team spirit all season long!

🛑 The store closes April 6, so be sure to place your order soon:
https://www.wwll.ctoutfit.com/

Cleanup Day

Our field cleanup day will be Saturday, April 11 from 1–5 PM.

Come help get the fields ready for the season. You’re welcome to work on the field your player will be using or help around the complex. Tasks include trash pickup, sweeping dugouts, weeding, edging, setting up backstop tarps, batting cages, and more.

Please bring work gloves and any yard tools you’re willing to share. Many hands make light work!

Opening Day

Opening Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 25. A full schedule for the day will be shared soon.

Team Sites

As teams are built, rosters will be posted on the league website. That also creates a team page in SportsConnect where coaches and team parents can share updates, photos, and information throughout the season. More details coming soon!

Equipment Needed

Players should have their own glove or mitt.

For Minors and older, baseball/softball pants are recommended:

Baseball: typically gray or white

Softball: typically black

Minors may also wear other athletic pants that allow for easy movement. Tee Ball players may wear any comfortable pants.

Cleats:

Molded cleats are recommended for Little Majors and older

Metal cleats are only allowed in Intermediate, Junior, and Senior divisions

You are welcome to purchase your own helmet and bat but the league will provide those for your team's use if you need them.

Here is this week's update as we count down to Opening Day. Don't forget to scroll down to see last week's post for any important updates you may have missed. 

Teams

We are working on building the teams in SportsConnect. Once they are built, you will receive a message with information about your team. That should be completed in the next week or so.

Interleague Play

Due to the number of teams we have in some divisions, we will be coordinating with other local leagues to play games against them. Those games may be at Westwood or at the other league. You can see the other league locations on the District 2 website. The specific leagues we'll play will differ by division and won't be known until a district scheduling meeting is held a little later. The primary divisions that will be playing an interleague schedule this year are Intermediate (50/70) Baseball, Junior Baseball, and Major Softball. There will also be a little interleague play with one other league in the Little Major Baseball, Major Baseball and Minor Softball divisions. 

Schedules

Our goal is to have the schedules for practices, opening day, and regular season games done before the Meet-and-Greet. Some of the division schedules may not be done because they involve interleague play and we need to wait for the schedule coordinator to finish and publish them.

Practice Start Date

We plan to open the fields for practices on April 7 and they will run through April 24. The full schedule will be communicated to the coaches and posted on our website soon.

Weather Policy

As we get closer to the start of practices, know that we will not practice unless the temperature is at least 40 including wind chill. This is a District policy that we follow. There will also be no practices if there are any weather warnings or a tornado watch.

Cleanup Day

Please plan to come to the fields on April 11th to help get the fields cleaned up and ready to play. There will be trash pickup, weeding, raking, and sweeping to be done. More details will be sent later but put the date on your calendar and come for as long as you are able.

Cancellation Notices

We are able to send text notices out through the registration system for any cancellations due to weather or other events. However, that relies on you putting your mobile number into your profile in the system. Please login to your account and ensure your number is there. We will also put a notice on our website and try to post to Facebook as well. We will post the method of subscribing to these notices in the next couple of weeks.

Here is some important information as we kick off our weekly updates leading up to the season. This week includes several important dates to save!

Welcome to Little League
If you are new to Little League or to Westwood, check out the Welcome to Little League page on our website. This page provides a little background on the Little League program and on our league specifically. Hopefully it, along with the FAQ page linked there, will answer some questions you might have.

Opening Day
Our first day of play will be Saturday, April 25. Stay tuned for more details and a schedule of events.

Meet-and-Greet
What is it? Our annual gathering where families can connect, get important information for the upcoming season, and meet coaches and teammates. We start at 6:00 PM on Monday, April 6, at King-Westwood Elementary School. You can also make outstanding payments and complete your volunteer applications. See you there!

Swap Table
Bring your old mitts, bats, cleats, pants, or other playing equipment for our swap table at the Meet-and-Greet. Clean out your garage, pass along equipment your players have outgrown, and maybe even find something your player needs. This has been a big success in the past, and we expect it to be popular again.

Coaches Meeting
Coaches, don’t forget this mandatory meeting begins at 7:00 PM, immediately following the Meet-and-Greet. We’ll share important information for the season, including your rule book, an update from District 2 on areas of focus for coaches this year, and your required first aid training.

Umpires
We need umpires for the Little Major (9–10) division and above in order to play games. We provide training and equipment, so you can do it even if this is your first time. Anyone age 13 or older can participate in our umpire training program and be paid to call games.

Umpire clinics will be held April 12 and April 19 from 1:00–5:00 PM. Attendance at one of these clinics is required in order to umpire this season.

Contact our Umpire Coordinator Tom Wrench at [email protected] for details.

DICK’S Sporting Goods 20% Off Shopping Event
Westwood Little League families can receive 20% off their entire purchase at DICK’S Sporting Goods during a special shopping event.

Valid March 20–23, 2026 This is a great opportunity to pick up cleats, gloves, bats, and other gear for the upcoming season.

Access the coupon here:
https://cmm.dickssportinggoods.com/crmcdn/getoffer.aspx?offer_entity_code=O241FRTL&token=o8INX4yUm7-NHsnhBBO8hRyq2BjFL6qoRKsmcgvl2Arz9O8HVgFqH0HfoAzC4fjkhrHe3AOYmoGcZHtauIHvw2

Show the coupon at checkout from your phone or a printed copy to receive the discount.

Fundraisers
We have several fundraisers planned throughout the season to help support our league and keep costs manageable for families. Please mark your calendars and watch for more details as each event approaches.

March 19 – April 6 | Apparel/Merch Sale
Our Westwood Little League apparel store with Complete Team Outfitters will be open for online ordering. This is a great opportunity to pick up Westwood gear including jerseys, hats, hoodies, and more.

April 6 | Offer Card Fundraiser
Purchase offer cards with discounts at local businesses. Support the league while saving money around town.

May 16 | Little Caesars Kits/Codes
Stock your freezer with delicious pizza kits! We will be selling Little Caesars kits and codes for easy online purchases.

May 18–20 | Picture Day
Team and individual photos will be taken. Picture packages will be available for purchase online.

Stay tuned for another update next weekend as we continue the Countdown to the season!